Senior System Architect - AI Platform (Android Core)

About Speak and Act

Speak and Act is a Canada-based technology startup redefining how people interact with their devices through AI. Our vision is to build the world’s first truly AI-native smartphone, where users can express intent naturally — by voice, gesture, or context — and see technology act intelligently on their behalf. We’re building the foundation for an assistant that lives at the system level, bridging voice, vision, and action seamlessly.

Our founding team combines deep R&D expertise in connected systems, AI integration, and user-centric design. We’re now assembling a core team to bring our MVP (Minimum Viable Product) to life — an Android-based AI launcher that learns, adapts, and responds like a true personal assistant.

We value innovation, ownership, transparency, and creativity. Join us to shape the next era of human-AI interaction.

Overview

Speak and Act is seeking a System Architect to design and lead the end-to-end technical architecture for our MVP. You will be responsible for defining how our Android launcher, AI intelligence layer, and backend systems interconnect; ensuring the system is scalable, secure, and ready for future hardware integration.This is a hands-on architecture role requiring deep technical understanding across mobile systems, backend infrastructure, and AI service orchestration.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and document the complete architecture for the AI launcher MVP (Android → backend → AI inference → user feedback loop).
• Define key modules, APIs, and data flows between mobile, backend, and AI services.
• Choose appropriate technologies and frameworks for scalability and modularity.
• Oversee integration of voice, intent, and contextual learning pipelines.
• Collaborate closely with Android, backend, and AI engineers to maintain architectural integrity.
• Establish coding standards, architecture patterns, and API contracts.
• Review implementations and guide developers on system-wide design choices.
• Ensure privacy, data protection, and secure handling of user context data.
• Plan for long-term evolution toward OS-level integration and eventual hardware embedding.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of software engineering experience with a strong focus on system or solution architecture.
• Proven experience with Android OS-level or system-layer integrations (AOSP familiarity preferred).
• Deep understanding of backend systems, microservices, and AI/ML integration pipelines.
• Strong technical leadership and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Experience defining scalable, modular system architectures under time constraints.
• Strong understanding of REST/gRPC APIs, authentication, and data synchronization.
• Excellent communication and documentation abilities.

Nice-to-Have Skills

• Experience with AI-driven applications or contextual assistants.
• Familiarity with Kotlin, Jetpack components, and Android NDK.
• Hands-on exposure to Python-based AI frameworks (LangChain, LlamaIndex, etc.).
• Knowledge of cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure) and CI/CD pipelines.
• Understanding of UX principles related to AI-driven user interactions.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: CAD $100,000 – $150,000 (annual equivalent), prorated for 6 months.
• Relocation reimbursement for candidates moving to Vancouver, BC.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Paid vacation and sick leave.
• Opportunity for contract extension or conversion to full-time following MVP success.
• Collaborative, innovation-driven environment with high autonomy.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Speak and Act is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent, Fixed-term contract Contract length: 6-12 months (Extendable based on MVP success)

Benefits:

• Paid time off
• Relocation assistance

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Vancouver, BC : reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)